God Save The Queen
by rampantjake
Summary: With one last act the curse can be broken forever sending everyone in Storybrooke back home, but the townspeople gather to ask the question no-one has bothered to ask.
1. Chapter 1

_**(Disclaimer – I don't own any characters or anything and no money is made from this fic. However I will lay claim to every misplaced comma and pselling mistake)**_

'_God save the Queen_

_The fascist regime_

_That made you a moron_

_A potential H –bomb_

_(Sex Pistols…..as if you didn't know)_

…_._

"Miss Swann…..Emma…..if you really want to end this curse once and for all, if you want to send us all back home…. you will do it", encouraged Mr Gold as he sneered at the hesitance of the Sheriff. Though the truth of his alter ego was now known, he was confident in controlling the strings of his puppet who owed him a favor.

"K-kill her? Y-you want me to kill her?", gasped Emma as she held the knife he had given her, engraved with the name of Rumpelstiltskin, to the thin porcelain neck of Regina.

"No, just cut her deep enough for my blade to taste her blood", replied the wily man with a glint in his dulling eyes.

It had been less than twenty four hours since everyone in Storybrooke had their memories flood back, though the curse now lay in jagged shards there was one final act to perform. One final token from the Savior would see them all return to their realm of Fairytales. To their home.

Snow and James looked on fretfully as Emma, sweating profusely, pressed the enchanted knife to Regina's skin making her flinch, though strangely the Mayor eyes held a mix of fear and relief at the finality of it all. Though she pleaded that Henry be taken away so as his young eyes not be emblazoned with such images, Mr Gold insisted the boy stay and witness the end for, as well he knew, he was the one who held the keys to their return.

"Do it Emma, it's the only way to finish this", said Mr Gold with a vindictive sneer.

"J-just a little cut….that's all?", asked Emma as she fought to keep a steady hold of the knife, wishing that Regina would show her other regal side and so would feel little in slicing open the skin of this strong and determined woman who would not let her gaze wrest from Emma's.

"Yes, the knife is the key, it must be used on she who cast the curse. Then the curse will end", he said elusively.

"I….", gulped Emma as the thin silver blade pushed against Regina's elegant neck.

"STOP!", came the rabbled chorus shaking them from their eerie scene as the citizens of Storybrooke burst through the doors of the Mayor's mansion.

"It's alright everyone. We'll all be home soon", said Snow trying to placate the fervent mob who, she assumed, were there for the Queen's head.

"Wait, you d-don't understand", spluttered Doctor Hopper as her was thrust forward from the mob, "That is….I…I… I mean to say we…. er …we've all talked about it a-and the thing is ….what I mean to say…."

"We don't wanna go home", snorted Grumpy tiring of the flustered man's efforts.

"Y-you don't want to leave?", asked James in stunned disbelief, "But we can all be back in the Kingdom within…."

"That's just it isn't it, it's _**your**_ Kingdom…..not ours. You're royalty, you have a big ass castle and servants, fine wine and an entire populace who'll do what you say just 'cos you're the Prince", the now sober man continued with gusto.

"B-but you…", said Snow but was cut off swiftly by the bearded man whose frustrated nature was now coming to a head.

"Back there we were just slaves to you, just feudal serfs expected to obey your every word and die just because the Lord of the manor decides to get pissy with his neighbour and kick off some stupid ass war. Here….in this world…. we don't have to anything like that"

"But its home….where we live and love….where our hearts can truly…"

"Don't try and romanticize it, Snow. It was a shit hole and you know it"

"But the Kingdom….", stammered James holding his wife closer seeing the number of scowls being fired at them by the mob. Quite the opposite of what they were expecting.

"This isn't about you and your precious throne", snapped Ruby, "You just want to escape this blue collar life so you can go back to being King of everything, untouchable and able to do whatever you want to whoever you want. Noble causes and nonsense like that, we don't want to live under your command no more"

"But why would want to stay here? What can this world possibly offer you?", said Snow.

"What can it offer us?", said Grumpy, "Here we have TV, dvd's, deodorant, cars, the internet, Snickers, Jerry Springer, playstations, Elvis, youtube, birth control, Futurama…"

"But what about all you'll be giving up?"

"Like what? Here we have flush toilets and that quilted toilet roll covered in those little hexagonal patterns", added Abigail, "I for one was sick of having to crap in a bucket and wipe myself with a handful of leaves"

"Amen to that", added August glad he had now had access to haemorrhoid cream and the finest tools crafted by Black And Decker.

"He does have a point", added Regina earning a glare from Emma.

"Face it Snow, we were living in the dark ages, a medieval stinkpit controlled by a feudal system where all our lives were forfeit to the sovereign. No choice in our leaders but expected to die for them, what kind of dictatorship do you want us to return to?"

"But Regina is evil and….."

"Well d'uh, she's a Republican", said Dr Whale with strange insistence," But here in this world she has no regal powers nor any magic, here she has to obey the laws of a democratic system where we vote who we want to govern us. You Emma were voted in as Sheriff, not a position given you to by some archaic birth right, so how can you now turn your back on the free right to choose. Surely you can see the benefits of a democratic system rather than a sovereign dependency?"

"So you will give up your homes back in our realm and….", butted in Mr Gold clutching his cane until his knuckles turned white.

"Homes? I'm a straight guy living with six other men in a run-down wooden shack, why do you think they call me Grumpy?", grunted the bearded man who, for once, was not afraid to stand up to his peers for he now knew his constitutional rights of freedom of speech.

"If we want to go back home then we can wave goodbye to toothpaste, Louboutins, lip gloss, lazer eye surgery, TiVo, mp3's….", murmured Ruby going through a mental check list.

"Hell yeah, I'm not giving up my iPod for you. I mean, would you rather listen to some simpleton minstrel with a flute, or Amy Winehouse?", said David suddenly realising his foolishness, "Ok, that was a bad example"

"But he's right. Back there all we have is a wrongun in pantyhose up a tree with a lute, here we have Lady Gaga, Gollbetty and Johnny Cash", said Abigail forcefully.

"In this world I start each day with the twin joys of Red Bull and Marlboro, what better way to kick of a day is that? Not to mention popcorn, handguns, liposuction, dentists, welfare.…"

"And at least we have tampons and Advil here, back there we have to make do with a handful of straw once a month", snorted Ruby as Henry looked up confused.

"And I do need my pension", added Granny, "Back home I could barely manage and was just waiting for that last winter to finish me off, at least I have central heating here and microwavable meals. This is America after all, and if we stay here I know I'll be looked after in my old age and not end up as supper to a troll or a bear"

"But with this one act we'll be free of the tyranny of an evil leader", protested James.

"Dude, we've just freed ourselves of eight years of Bush, so I think it's a pretty even parallel. And how did we do it? With our freedom to vote, once the monarchy is established again in fairytale land we can say adios to democracy. Here we have fair trials and due process, there's no way we want to revert to a crown dictatorship", said Ruby surprising everyone with her stance.

"But do you not want to be free?", said Mr Gold itching to regain his power.

"Free to do what? Starve in a cabin in the harsh winter? We have to scavenge in the woods most the year, but here we can just order a pizza and have it delivered", snorted Grumpy.

"Have you all gone mad? Have you forgotten Regina is evil?", Snow replied dumbfounded that the common man would rise up and speak their truths.

"No, of course not. But here Regina isn't some Queen who can chop off people's heads just 'cos she feels like it, she has no retinue of servants bowing and scraping attending to her every need. In this world Regina is nothing more than a public servant, she's the Mayor and instead of indulging in her privilege she spends all her time doing paperwork making sure the trash gets picked up, that the street lights work and the sewers don't overflow. Now instead of ruling a kingdom she actually has to go to work and pay her taxes to someone else, I'd say that's more of a punishment than anything we could come up with"

"Y-you're defending her?", coughed Emma letting the knife drop a little more.

"She may have brought us here as an act of evil, but now we see what delights this world has, she did us a favor really", said Doctor Whale, "We may be prisoners in this town but at least it's a safe place that she runs efficiently. Our school is first rate not that we even any such things back home, and Storybrooke is a safe place for our children without having to worry about them being eaten by goblins or dragons. Not to mention our crime rate is minimal, think about it Sheriff, the only time you even do anything is when you lock up Leroy for being drunk. Do we have that kind of safety back home?"

"It can be arranged", said James with a touch of naivety.

"No it can't", said Ruby with a shake of the head, "A couple of years back I had my appendix out. You think back home in fairytale land there was anything even remotely resembling real doctors in a real hospital? No, it was just leeches, blood letting and exorcisms. To survive something like that it would mean making a deal with Rumpelstiltskin or some fairy, a deal which would haunt us forever. Here, we just fill out a few insurance forms and voila. And there's also the problem of Henry"

"What problem?", said Emma looking down at the child she cast off at birth.

"His grandmother, Snow, is only twenty years older than him. If this was Virginia that'd be normal, how the hell would you expect him to grow up sane like that?"

"A-at least he would grow up away from that evil witch", continued the Sheriff as her control ebbed away.

"I must say that Henry is a polite, well-mannered, kind hearted boy", said Dr Hopper clenching his umbrella anxiously, "Regina may be the evil Queen but she has done a fine job of raising Henry to be as wonderful a child as he is. In your eyes, just because she doesn't want him to rot his brain on e-numbers and has a hard time expressing her feelings, that constitutes bad motherhood? And now he's only just dealing with the abandonment issues bestowed by your negligence"

"You're actually on her side? But back there you're respected", said Snow.

"Back there I am a cricket", he replied flatly, "And I'm in no way attracted to other insects"

"So that's it? You want to stay just because you're horny?", snorted Emma.

"It's just a matter of time before someone drops a book on me", he countered flatly.

"B-but back in our world the Queen could lock you up without charge because you were of a certain ilk"

"And that wouldn't happen here? Guantanemo Bay ring any bells?", added Mr Gold.

"Hey I never said this world was perfect, but it's a helluva lot better than our own"

"This is ridiculous", snapped Mr Gold eager to regain his powers, "Emma listen to me. She stole your family from you, surely you want revenge for that. Go on, just one cut and you'll be the Princess you were always meant to be"

"Shut it Gold", shouted Grumpy ignoring the fierce glare of the be-suited man, "I ain't afraid of you no more. Emma, sure you'll be a Princess and can turn your back on your blue collar life, but you'll be cursing us all to life of drudgery. Where the roads are made of mud and covered in manure, where the royals can cut off our hands or heads if they felt like it 'cos we're just nothings dressed in rough hessian sacks back there with no medical help or workman's comp."

"Heh, this is like that scene in 'Life Of Brian', you know the whole "_what have the Romans ever done for us",_ don't you think?", said Doctor Hopper brightly.

"Exactly, back home we have no Monty Python, or Frasier or Saturday Night Live. It's a land of pain, death, misery and slavery. You really want to sentence us all to such a living nightmare?"

"But Regina's still evil"

"Just as you are still good, Snow. If we're basically the same person with the same code of ethics and morality at heart, what difference would it make if we stayed in this world. Here, Regina and Rumpelstiltskin have no magic powers, they can't hurt us like that. It's no different from any other culture, the rich stay rich by clinging onto their power no matter what, and the poor will always oil their machines with their sweat and blood"

"You sound like a Marxist"

"I may be, but you just proved my point. Here we are free to think for ourselves and have access to whatever information, religion or political beliefs we like"

"But Gold can evict you or Regina can make…"

"This is America princess, we have a system set up to stop corruption and the abuse of the less fortunate. It might not always work but this is a capitalist society, and if we go on strike what are they gonna do? They'd have to listen to our demands or they will be as destitute as us if common ground can't be found. Back home they'd simply burn us alive or turn us into monkeys, are you really willing to give them that power back so we all cower in fear the rest of our lives?"

"Emma, I know you think you're doing this for all of us….. but listen, if it's our lives you intend to change so radically shouldn't it be up to us?", said Ruby in a sombre tone.

"If you break the curse and send us all home I promise there will be revolution within the month and you will be up against a wall, now we have tasted life without the rule of Kings and princes, now we have seen democracy at work, we could never live like that again. If you're really our friend, if you really are doing this for our freedom, why won't you let us have the freedom to choose?", continued Doctor Whale showing the need for true men to be free of the oppression of any monarchy,

"B-but the Kingdom…" stammered James.

"God, just listen to you, no wonder there was a revolution in this country", mumbled Grumpy, "We have our memories back, we know who we used to be, and we want to stay. Why in the fuck would we want to go back there?"

"Miss Swan", said Regina softly speaking for the first time in ages, "It's your choice. So what are you going to do?"


	2. Chapter 2

_**(Authors notes – wow, thanks for all the sweet reviews and things, I wasn't going to do a follow up chapter but as you asked so nicely :) Though it'll probably ruin the whole thing but who cares. In case anyone is doing the copy n' paste thing, I've tweaked chapter one slightly so you may want to over-write it. This chapter is a lot less ranty and more lighthearted with the de rigeur fluffy ending …..of sorts)**_

'_Do you hear the people sing_

_Lost in the valley of the night_

_It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light_

_For the wretched of the earth_

_There is a flame that never dies_

_Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise_

_They will live again in freedom in the garden of the lord_

_They will walk behind the ploughshare; they will put away the sword_

_The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward_

_Will you join in our crusade?_

_Who will be strong and stand with me?_

_Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?_

_(Taken from Les Miserables)_

…_._

…

"Besides, most monarchs are just spoiled, in-bred, cretinous wastrels", reasoned Dr Whale.

"How dare you…..oh", said Abigail realizing the incestuous past of her family, as was normal for any regal bloodline,

"But the Kingdom will….", blustered James in muted outrage.

"If you so much as mention the Kingdom one more time, I swear to god I will fucking slap you", snapped Grumpy staring at the deposed monarch like he was the epitome of the unwashed masses yearning for freedom.

"Grumpy! What's wrong with you? You used to be so loyal"

"Cos I didn't know any better. I've always had this feeling deep within me, gnawing away at my soul 'cos I knew I was helpless to change the world for the better, that I could actually make a difference. Now in this world I've seen the light in the works of Noam Chomsky and Woody Guthrie whereas back home I had no idea about the true power of the land, the power of the people. I may have been born into squalor but now I have the chance to free myself of the burden of such a lowly birth, and I want to take all my brothers and sisters from the gutter and lead them into the light", Grumpy said overdramatically.

"What in god's name are you talking about?", grunted Regina pinching the bridge of her nose, "Have you been at the diesel oil again?"

"No, well not today anyway. Dopey has though"

"Psst", Henry said quietly, "Do they call him Dopey because he's really that stupid?"

"No kid, he smokes a lot of pot", replied Ruby sarcastically.

"Grumpy, I think this whisper of power has gone to your head", Snow said with a slight flexing of her narrow shoulders.

"Hey, don't change the subject. We have a real chance to change our lives and create something for future generations, we could turn Storybrooke into a real socialist utopia", he replied.

"Over my dead body you will", growled the Mayor paying little attention to the knife Emma still pointed at her and stepped towards the mob.

"It very nearly _**was**_ your dead body", mused Dr Hopper aloud.

"But Madam Mayor, don't you see? You have no real power over us as you were never voted in, I think it's time we had a real election", added Ruby watching the nodding heads surrounding her.

"An election? Really? And who's going to stand against me? You?", Regina said with hands on hips staring at the waitress.

"Why not?", shrugged Ruby defiantly.

"Oh puh-lease, you think you can organize a whole town? You can barely organize your ass into your pants, dear"

"At least my campaign slogan wouldn't be '_hey, let's bankrupt the damn country just so we can blow up some more Iraqi children'_", retorted the young woman knowing the Republican party line.

"She has every right to stand as Mayor", Grumpy said tapping his copy of the town charter.

"Are you people seriously considering handing over control to the Pantychrist herself?", spluttered Regina, a hint of fear now residing in her voice.

"Hey, I totally wear panties now!"

"Glad to hear it, I'm amazed Henry isn't scarred for life after that incident at the miniature golf range"

"People shouldn't fear their government, a government should fear its people", Grumpy interrupted aiming to bring them back on subject as he sagely stroking his untrimmed beard.

"And where did you read that? A bar napkin?", the Mayor huffed.

"Now people", Abigail said in an effort to appease,"Regina has done a damn fine effort in keeping our town safe and secure"

"Surely you can't think to actually want to keep her as Mayor?", said Snow with knitted brows.

"Why not? Who else could run this town so well, no offence Ruby. But I mean, have you ever seen graffiti in Storybrooke? Or litter scattered through the streets? No, because she's efficient and almost anal in her organization. And she's kept this town free of the horror of child beauty pageants too, I mean why dress your kid up like a whore and then wonder why sex offenders take an interest in them? Red rag to a bull", Dr Whale said with a shudder.

"It's the only way to run a place like this, an iron fist in a velvet glove", shrugged Regina smoothing out the wrinkles in her blazer, her composure coming in peaks and troughs though her fight was slowly ebbing away.

"But she can't be trusted", said James, "She's manipulated the truth to suit her own ends"

"Just like the Kennedy's"

"But there's blood on her hands, she's destroyed so many lives"

"Just like the Kennedy's…..can you see where I'm going with this? They were heavily involved in organized crime and suspicious deaths surround them all, but they were still senators and the president. Name one leader who didn't cause the death of someone else so they could claw onto their power", said Abigail knowing the bloody trails which lead to any throne.

"So you think the election process is going to solve all our problems?", Snow said keeping a careful eye on Regina.

"I know it's not without its drawbacks, I mean just look at us. We can appoint any old idiot to be Sheriff"

"Hey", protested their current badge holder.

"Hold on Emma, I'm going somewhere with this. I can never understand why we don't have, you know, like a _**real**_ police officer, someone who went to the academy, knows the law and is answerable to their superiors. But no, if you're popular you can be Sheriff without any experience or brain power whatsoever. If Paris Hilton wandered into town right now we'd probably vote her in as Sheriff, and you know how much she would suck at it", reasoned Ruby as she tugged at her false eyelash which was wilting fast.

"And you think Sidney would've made a better Sheriff than me? You know how close the vote was but you really think a newspaper editor would be better equipped to be the law and order in this town?", Emma said with a huff as she crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child.

"I'm not saying democracy isn't fatally flawed", Grumpy reasoned admitting the imperfections in his newly blossoming beliefs.

"Hey, who's Sidney?", whispered David.

"The token black guy", replied Abigail.

"Ah", he said knowingly as he looked round seeing nothing but white faces surrounding him.

"But keeping Regina as Mayor after all she's done? You can't be serious?", Snow continued,"W-what about what she did to Graham? She had him dragged off to her chambers where he was treated pretty much like a sex slave"

A silence fell over the mob as eyebrows rose.

"And? Oh come on, who _**wouldn't**_ want that to happen?", said Dr Whale giving a sly wink towards to former Queen.

"Sure, she may not be the fairest in the land anymore….but she's sure as hell the hottest, she's almost offensively attractive", added Ruby as everyone in the scene stared on at her, "What? Oh come on, after all that's gone on in our lives and _**this**_ surprises you?"

"Good point", said James earning a sharp elbow to his ribs courtesy of his wife.

"Henry, in your book the only people who get a happy ending are straight white people who become royalty. It's almost saying that happiness isn't available to anyone who doesn't have a knighthood", the waitress said gaining nods from her brethren. "Besides, back in our retarded medieval system of justice, if I was caught so much as kissing a girl then it would've been ducking stools, pillories and a visit to Madame Guillotine for me"

"And what about Belle? Surely we can make a case against Regina for unlawfully locking her up?", Emma added unsurely.

"You mean you're willing to go before a jury and say this girl has been in an institution for twenty eight years? That this twenty one year old is actually nearly fifty? Even I know botox and surgery has its limits", said Dr Whale.

"But can you really justify Regina locking her up all these years?", James interjected.

"I think there is strong psychological evidence to support her incarceration", Dr Hopper said stepping forward clutching his umbrella, "I believe she suffers from hybristophilia"

"Come again?"

"It's often known as 'Bonnie And Clyde Syndrome', it involves someone who is sexually aroused or attracted to people who have committed sickening or gruesome crimes. Do you really think Belle was attracted to him because of his stunning good looks and witty repartee? But when a woman falls for a fiend like this it ends either one of two ways. Either she joins him in committing these atrocities…"

"Oh, like in Natural Born Killers?", Ruby said brightly interrupting the Doctor's flow.

"Something like that yes. But more often than not it ends the other way, where she suffers mental and physical abuse until, unfortunately, she is murdered by her spouse in her own home"

"But surely someone good like Belle could change him?"

"The trouble with hybristophilia is that it is based on his bad side, for her attraction only remains intact if he continues to commit worse and worse crimes, and with someone as devious as Mr Gold who knows how far he would go until one day he snapped and strangled her in the bedroom"

"I would never hurt Belle", protested Mr Gold.

"Yeah, that's what every wifebeater says", snorted Emma recalling her days as a bounty hunter where she often encountered battered women.

"So Regina put Belle away where she could be safe from a grisly end, but also removed the threat of her joining him on his wicked path. So, essentially, she saved the town from a potential crime spree. I know she put her away as an act of vengeance but she actually…."

"That's so far-fetched and ludicrous", Snow said trying not to believe the good Doctor.

"More far-fetched and ludicrous than magical realms and curses and trolls?", he replied with his head now resting at a jaunty angle.

"We're straying off the point here", James muttered, "It still boils down to the fact that Regina is evil"

"Oh, evil shmevil, it all depends on your point of view. As the old saying goes _'one man's Mugabe is another man's Elvis'_. But she's not Joseph Kony evil, more John Edward evil", Dr Whale said nonchalantly.

"And unless TV and movies have lied to me, behind the masks of evil all bad guys are just scared little children lashing out at a world that has wounded them gravely. Whether it's Sam Childers, Darth Vader or Earl Hickey, they're all souls which can be saved. All they need is a reason to live and hope, as the good book says _'there is no sin unforgiveable for those that seek redemption'_", said Dr Hopper, ever the voice or reason.

"Well Regina, _**are**_ you sorry for what you've done?", sneered Snow as the words of the mob began to reluctantly resonate within her heart.

"I'm sorry I ever started this damn curse business if that's what you mean", replied the Mayor with a deep and guttural sigh.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Look at it from my point of view, one day I was Queen of an empire, untouchable and feared throughout the land when the curse began. The next day I was standing in line with nobodies to buy groceries from a failure. I lost everything when I came here as did you, but only I knew what"

"Sorry, you lost me here", James said with a shake of the head.

"You were all oblivious to the truth, you weren't suffering as I hoped you would as you felt no loss or pain as you didn't even know anything had been taken from you. You all just thought you were living the day-to-day hell that is life in smalltown America, so how could you take this life as a curse of sorrow? I couldn't even have the joy of revelling in your misery as you didn't know what you had lost. The curse was really on me because only _**I**_ knew of our old lives but I felt no schadenfreude as no-one else knew to mourn for their loss". Regina's fight was seeping from her, mainly because of the bewildered look on Henry's face. But with each word of honesty she was finally spilling she hoped he would see just why she felt so ill at ease.

"But you…."

"For twenty eight years I've been crushed under the weight of these secrets", Regina continued cutting off James.

"And how long have you regretted the curse?"

"About twenty seven years. I went from doing what I please in my castle to working all hours running this town acting as a stern den mother to you all"

"But why did you bother?"

"I….", Regina started unable to hold back herself, "I'm proud of this town, all my hard work in making sure we lived far from the filth and disease we used to. That's why I'm overly fussy with my grooming regimen I guess. But being Mayor…..it was as if….I suddenly had a purpose in life again, I wasn't so ostracized by the world anymore and could walk freely amongst you all. God, I so wanted to tell you the truth for so long but it felt like such a release for me. To finally be free of the throne, to just be normal again"

"Oh….I….ok", Emma said seeing the walls crumbling around Regina's soul, "But one thing still puzzles me"

"About her army?"

"Her what?"

"If everyone from our realm came here, where are all of Regina's loyal guards and soldiers? Where the hell did they all go?", August said scratching a mosquito bite on his arm.

"Er…I don't know. I meant, Regina, why didn't you just destroy the book?", the Sheriff pressed.

"Because….I wanted it to end. Only I knew of our past so I was more a victim of it than any of you, the curse was really on me, it was my punishment to wallow alone in our loss. I just wanted an end to it all". The Mayor breathed heavier with each unfurling of the truth.

"That still doesn't explain why you didn't destroy the book"

"Because I wanted you to believe in the curse"

"So why didn't you just tell me from the start?"

"Miss Swan, would you have believed me? No. But by opposing you at every turn, by being a royal pain in your ass, you started to think I was hiding something. And the more I pushed you away the more you snapped back, and each time you did you believed in it a little more. That's why I fought you, because is it not true that one is judged on the strength of their enemies?", Regina stated staring with unguarded eyes into Emma's.

"I….oh. But why….what made you think this curse was the only way out? What reason could you have for turning into such a vindictive bitch?"

"Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with?", Regina said as she dropped her gaze and spoke in hushed painful tones.

Emma watched the chorus of nodding heads all around showing that Regina had struck a nerve within them all.

"But honestly, it's a relief that the curse is all but gone. No more having to be so careful not to expose who I truly was, hiding myself and protecting all these secrets, it's like I'm free at last. Emma, I knew you were the only one who could break it, and I thank you for it", Regina said as unwanted tears brimmed in her eyes, "But at the same time I was s-scared to go back to our realm, being all alone again in that castle…. here I have a real home…a-and a family"

She smiled down sadly to Henry but she couldn't hold his gaze for it burned at her, the love she had for him thrown back in her face so often.

"B-but surely you can't be….", coughed Mr Gold wondering why the tension had flitted away, why an understanding was threatening to consume them all.

"Everyone", said Dr Whale to the gathered townsfolk, "We didn't know what the Queen had taken from us and so have felt no loss until today, and due to the curse we haven't aged a day. So this really is little more than a pause in our lives. After all, we're survived much worse"

"That's true, I still shudder at the thought of shoulder pads and parachute pants"

"Not really what I meant Ruby", he continued hoping that the waitress wasn't really going to stand for election, "For twenty eight Regina has watched over us, none of us have starved or been made homeless or drafted into a senseless war. It's been a life sentence to her where she was basically a slave to her own ill doings, bearing the loss on her own as we were all blissfully unaware of it"

"Kinda like Groundhog Day?", David mentioned.

"In a way", said the medical man, "So really Regina is the only who's suffered all this time"

"Ahem", said Emma gesturing to herself with the knife.

"Oh yeah, there is that. But Emma you lost a regal childhood where you would've been married by the time you hit puberty, but in this world you've grown into a strong and independent woman. Would you really want to change all that? Would you have wanted to grow up to be a spoilt and effete princess with the belief that the lives of common people were forfeit to you? With no account of justice?", Grumpy said.

Emma toyed with the knife for though her spirit had been hardened by this world she truly liked who she was, and if she was raised in the realm of fairytales then she would never have given birth to Henry.

"But you", Abigail spat pointing towards Mr Gold, "You're the one who caused all this"

"But it was Regina who did this, it was she who cast the curse on you all", the limping man protested.

"Regina may have pulled the trigger but you sure as hell loaded the gun"

As silence fell across them all, the ire now aimed towards Mr Gold, Regina dragged a heavy breath into her aching lungs and turned towards the Sheriff.

"Miss Swa….Emma….what does it say on the knife there?", the Mayor said in all but a whisper.

"No…don't!", shouted Mr Gold as he hobbled forward, watching in horror as Emma twisted the blade in her hand.

"Rumpelstiltskin?", she said in an almost innocent voice.

"Damn you….damn you to hell Regina!", snapped the man as he slammed his cane down on the hardwood flooring.

"W-what's going on?", Emma said looking around.

"He gave you his knife by his own hand and you now have his name. Emma, you now own the Dark One. He is yours to command"

"W-what?", squawked Emma as her gift for the truth showed the honesty within Regina's words.

"He hoped you would use the knife and send us all back before you even thought about using the name, isn't that right?"

They looked down to the be-suited man grinding his teeth and clenching his fists.

"Yes…damn you. I…I am yours to command", he drawled out in embittered fury.

"I….I _**own**_ him?"

"Yes. He is yours to.…what are you doing?", Regina asked as she watched Emma's shoulders roll back and her hair whip around as she strutted over to the door. The pleas and reasoning of the townsfolk echoing around her heart.

She rammed the knife into the door jamb and closed the heavy door clamping it tightly in the frame as she clenched both hands around its handle. She turned to her parents, Mr Gold, Regina, the mob and then finally to Henry whose eyes flickered with pride.

"No-one has the right to own another", she spat as she yanked on the knife.

Its silver blade snapped in two sending out a flash of pure black malevolent light, the knife itself falling away into dust in her sweaty palms.

"Noooo!", cried Mr Gold as he felt all hope of his evil powers returning fade away.

"Hell yeah, viva la revolucion!", shouted Ruby as a dozen eyes bore down on her, "Too much?"

"A little", said a wincing Grumpy as he pressed his thumb to his forefinger, "But finally justice will…."

"Bah, you talk of justice? Where is our justice?", said James, "This is ridiculous, shouldn't Regina go to jail for mass kidnapping or something?"

"Jail?", said August with a blank expression, "You're really gonna stand before a judge and tell them a tale about magical fairies and Queens from far off mystical realms? You'd be on a thorazine drip in Bellevue before you even finished your opening statement"

"Hey, this world has a history of beheading Queens too, you know", shrugged Dopey as he leaned against the door with dilated pupils.

"Why kill people who kill people to prove that killing is wrong?", said Dr Hopper, the bleeding heart pacifist. "It's barbarian and we're above that"

"Well…er…if Regina and Gold took stuff from us, why don't we take it from them? We can take their homes and businesses…", said James knowing his eagerness for the throne was now nothing but a fairytale.

"We can't do that for this is America. A land built on one common theme"

"Honor?"

"No…litigation"

"And I do have Gloria Allred on speed-dial", Regina mentioned as a passing thought.

"And why should we destroy when we can re-build? Germany was a threat to the freedom of all but after World War Two we didn't destroy it, we helped recreate it so it could start afresh as we should do here", Dr Hopper spoke with calm thought.

"Yeah, and as the newly appointed head of the Storybrooke Workers Union, I think we need to have a town meeting first thing tomorrow when everyone's sober and level headed so we can decide the future of this town", Grumpy said with a nod knowing that this indeed was his happy ending.

"B-but we can't just let them get away with this", said Snow. Though her need for vengeance had fallen she still needed closure.

"But if we imprison Regina for imprisoning us that makes us as bad as her and I, for one, have no intention of sinking that low", Dr Hopper spoke with insistence.

"I agree, we're a civilized society and should act accordingly", said Abigail.

"Ok, but what?", Ruby asked as she pulled at her knotting pantyhose.

"Oh, I think I might have an idea", smirked Emma with a wry curl of the lips as she looked over at the accused.

A grin which made Regina and Mr Gold gulp and stare at each other.

_**One week later**_

"Regina? Are you here?", called out Emma as she opened the door to the Mayor's mansion stepping to one side as Henry dashed past her.

"Here she is", he said pointing into the living room as Emma lay the dress to one side.

Emma followed the young boy and couldn't help but chuckle at the dishevelled figure snoring on the couch. A thin line of drool sliding from Regina's smeared lipstick, the tassels edging the cushions rocking back and forth in time to her heavy breathing.

"Should we wake her?", asked Henry as he knelt down next to his Mom brushing a stray strand of sweaty hair away from her flushed cheek.

"In a minute, it looks like she's earned her rest", smiled Emma unable to take her eyes from the adorable smudge of dirt on Regina's nose.

It seemed unbelievable that the scruffy heap of tangled limbs belonged to the Mayor who was always so particular about her appearance but seeing as she'd spent the day collecting trash from the side of the roads it seemed much wiser for Regina to just wear a sweater and jeans, even though she couldn't resist ironing a crease in them. The day glo yellow jacket she'd been made to wear did nothing for her complexion either.

"She's working so hard to make everything better, little by little making it up to everyone", said Henry a little sadly as he wiped a smear of dirt from her cheek, "I know she's done bad things in the past, in her other life. But she's still my Mom….and I never get to see her anymore. I miss her"

"I know you do kid. But both she and Gold need to learn a little humility, that if you push the common man far enough then they will stand up and say no"

Emma smiled warmly at his gentle affection towards his other mother, since the townspeople had decided on the fate of Regina and Mr Gold it seemed wise for Emma to move in with them, both to keep Regina in line and to look after Henry as the Mayor was working all the time now.

"You know….I'm proud of her, I never thought I'd say that but now I know the whole story, why she became the way she was, I can't blame her. I still love her"

"Yeah, I get that", said Emma, "It was because of a broken heart she turned evil, if I took you away from her like Snow suggested it would only break it again and she would lose all hope. I can't do that no matter what her past is. A broken heart will fracture your soul and lead you to the dark side, out of fear and desperation not to feel that pain again you erect such walls around your heart that you forget who you used to be. And once on the dark side, you can't turn back without help"

"Wow, that's pretty deep Emma"

"Well, I've watched Ricki Lake enough times", shrugged back the Sheriff.

"Mmmrrgghh…..Henry?", said Regina as she stirred from her sleep, her arms aching from the manual labor she was unused to.

"Hey…Mom", he said gently. As her eyes fluttered open Regina couldn't help the smile erupt on her face as she could now see what she was working to regain. With every step on her path to redemption it brought her closer and closer to her son's love once more.

"How was work?", asked Emma.

"How do you think it was?", grunted Regina as she pushed herself up and wiped her drooling lips.

"But it's for the good of the community"

"I found an ear", the former Queen replied bluntly as she stretched out her limbs.

"Oh", said Emma strangely transfixed by the sweaty top clinging to Regina's curves, "Anyway, you've just got time for a shower before your shift starts"

"Oh god", replied Regina as her shoulders slumped again.

"And I got a surprise for you", Emma said with twinkling eyes as she stepped from the room for a moment to retrieve the dress.

"You've got to be kidding me", squawked Regina as she eyed up the red and white gingham dress with the small apron wrapped around its middle.

"What? If you're gonna be working at the diner then you have to wear the uniform. Ruby wanted you to wear something like _she_ wears but, even though you certainly have the legs for it, I don't think a miniskirt would do much for your temper. So I got this one for you instead"

"No way. I'm still Mayor of this town and I don't have time for this nonsense. I still have to do the rota for the garbagemen and organize the AA meetings Grumpy wants and….". The words barely snaking past Regina's grinding teeth.

"Regina, don't tell me you're going back on your word?", Emma singsonged in an annoying manner.

"You tree hugging, trendy bearded lefties and your liberal agendas. Couldn't you have just given me the chair?", Regina said snidely as she snatched the waitress' dress and held it up to herself.

"Sorry Regina, but we have a Democrat government now which means…."

"Which means you're as impotent as you are ineffective when it comes to hard decisions?"

"Pretty much", Emma shrugged in reply, "But you'll only be working at the diner while Granny has her hip replacement which, due to the renegotiated contracts, Mr Gold has to pay for. You should be glad you're not doing _his_ job"

"Meaning?"

"Well today he had to wash Grumpy's dog before he went to the hospital to read to sick children"

"I could've done that, it's way more dignified that shovelling out fries to slack jawed yokels"

"One of the kids got so scared they threw up on him. Right in his face", Emma said with a smirk knowing that the Mayor would enjoy such news.

"Really?", replied Regina as the ghost of a smile tugged at her lips.

"Yeah, it was totally a youtube moment", smiled Henry.

"So, come on Regina, if you hurry I'll give you a ride"

"What? Why?"

"Well I thought Henry would wanna eat out tonight and I'm kinda hungry too. Don't worry, we'll leave you a nice tip", Emma said as she fought to keep her giggles at bay. For this was a much worse punishment for Regina and Mr Gold than any a court of law could mete out.

"I…..", coughed Regina cringing at the thought.

"Don't worry Regina", Emma said with a wink, "Just another 942 hours of community service to go"


End file.
